Tainted
by Creative Canary
Summary: Right from the first moment I layed eyes on you, you stole my heart, I was your easy prey. I was young then, bold, reckless, stupid, whatever you would call me. I thought that you were right for me. But then came another, who tainted our relationship. Rated T just in case
1. Characters

**~Thunderclan~**

**Leader: **Sandstar: Golden tom with amber eyes

**Medicine cat: Morningdew: **a light gold she-cat with dark ginger stripes and amber eyes. She is Amberfurs sister

**Apprentice: Beechpaw**

**Deputy: **Amberfur: Golden she-cat with amber eyes.

**Warriors:**

Mossheart: Brown and black tom with green eyes and one white paw

Birdstone: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Brownears: a white Tom with brown ear-tips and blue eyes

Owlfeather: dark tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Sleetfang: Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

**Apprentice: Beepaw**

Screechfoot: light gray tom with green eyes

Flowertail: gray she-cat with blue eyes.

Willowfeather: a very pale gray-almost white-she-cat with large deep blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Beepaw: Black tom with green eyes and white paws. (Sleetfang's apprentice)

Beechpaw: Light brown tabby tom with blue eyes and a white tail tip (Morningdew's apprentice)

**Queens:**

Leafcloud: a calico she-cat with blue eyes (Mother of Goldenkit, a thick furred golden tabby tom with amber eyes, and Graykit, a silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes and white tail tip.)

Streamtail: Silver tabby she-cat with green eyes. Screechfoot's sister. (Mother to Waspkit:a light brown tabby she-kit with amber eyes, Smokekit, a dark gray tom with amber eyes, and Snowkit, a white she-kit with faded cream stripes and blue eyes)

**Elders:**

Fogbreeze: dark brown long furred tom with green eyes

**~Shadowclan~**

**Leader:**Snakestar: Brown tabby tom with green eyes that burn like coals. He has a deep resentment for Sandstar and is very protective of the Thunderclan border. He constantly throws accusations around about Thunderclan

**Medicine Cat: **Mothfeather: Pale brown she-cat with blue eyes and three white paws

**Deputy: Spidertail: **Elderly black and white tom with a long tail and blue eyes

**Warriors:**

Frostring: a white she-cat with silver rings around her tail and blue eyes.

**Apprentice: Firepaw**

Graymoth: light gray she-cat with feathery whiskers and amber eyes (Pantherpaw's and Firepaw's mother)

**Apprentice: Fawnpaw**

Cottonfeather: cream she-cat with amber eyes and black feet

Brambleswift: A light brown she cat with cream paws and green eyes. Cottonfeather's sister

Rockshade: gray tom with black spots and amber eyes

Softtail: Silver she-cat with long fluffy tail and green eyes

Oakfur: Brown tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Pantherpaw**

**Apprentices:**

Pantherpaw: Jet black muscular tom with emerald eyes. He is Firepaw's brother (Oakfur's Apprentice)

Firepaw: Ginger tom with blue eyes. He is Pantherpaw's brother (Frostring's apprentice)

Fawnpaw: Pale brown she-cat with amber eyes and white paws. She has faded tabby stripes (Graymoth's apprentice)

**Queens:**

**Elders: **

Magpiefeather: black and white

she-cat with once-vibrant green eyes

**~Windclan~**

**Leader: **Wingstar:Light gray tom with amber eyes and one white paw

**Medicine Cat: **Dogleaf: Brown tom with green eyes and inky tail tip

**Apprentice: **Larkflame: Gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy: **Firestorm: Ginger she-cat with amber eyes

**Warriors:**

Bluefoot: Blue-gray tom with blue eyes and white patch on thigh

**Apprentice: Reedpaw**

Lakepelt: Brown tabby she-cat with white patches

Hollowlog: Brown she-cat with blue eyes

Whitetooth:Black and white tom

Stripebird: Gray tabby she-cat

Sparrowflight: Brown she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Reedpaw: Black she-cat with blue eyes and white chest

**Queens:**

**Elders:**

Darkfur: Black tom

Scarface: Brown tom with scarred face from dog attack

**~Riverclan~**

**Leader: **Ripplestar: silver thick furred she-cat with one blue one green eye

**Medicine Cat: **Redshade: Red and white she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy: **Cloudwhisper: White she-cat with gray patches

**Warriors:**

Fishtail-Gray tom

**Apprentice: Waterpaw**

Rockstorm: brown tom

**Apprentice: Snowpaw**

Reedrush: Black tom

**Apprentices:**

Snowpaw: White tom (Rockstorm's apprentice)

Waterpaw: Silver she-cat with white paws (Fishtail's apprentice)

**Queens:**

•Pinefur: Brown she-cat

**Elders:**

•Reedrush: Black tom


	2. The Deceptive Prophecy

Morningdew padded into her den sleepily, she had worked until the point of exhaustion today. Beechpaw had already been sent off to his den, he was younger and couldn't handle as much work strain as she could. Beechpaw was, after all, only eight moons old.

Bones aching, pelt sagging, she entered the den, only to be met by a burst of heat. She wanted to part her jaws to wail, but something held them shut. Morningdew gazed into the brilliant flames and saw a form. The form was ginger and looked like a Starclan cat, but she couldn't recognize it. Flames seared it's pelt and flaring green eyes burned through her pelt, causing a burning blotch on her skin. "A destroyed warrior can decay the clan like a rotten log, from the inside out. Innocence will be stained red with blood," Roared a raspy meow. Fear struck Morningdew and she felt shivers soar down her spine.

She blinked and the cat was gone, along with the flames. Beechpaw was sitting erect in his nest, eyes as round as full moons. "Are you feeling okay?" he mewed cautiously. "Y-yes, why?" her voice shook a little bit, her mouth was still in awe at the breathtaking sight that had displayed itself before her very own eyes a second ago. "You were staring off into space, as if you were in a trance and when I called out to you, you-you started opening and closing you jaws, but not making a sound." The small apprentice seemed terrified, and guilt pricked at her stomach for making such a young cat so scared.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking. I'm just a little tired, that's all. What did you think of Streamtail's kitting earlier today?"

"It was amazing! Bringing new life into the clan!"

Morningdew purred an amused _mrrrow. _"Let's get to bed, I'm tired," She mewed sleepily. Closing her eyes, Morningdew thought of the fiery tom. Her first instinct was to tell Sandstar, but telling the tom that the clan he worked so hard to care for would be destroyed seemed cruel. _A destroyed warrior can decay the clan like a rotten log, from the inside out. Innocence will be stained red with blood._ She would just look out for any destroyed warriors, simple as that.

Still, a nagging in her gut told her to tell her golden leader. She had never kept any secrets from him before. Sadly, she shook her head and sighed. This secret would be her secret, for her to hold and keep and treasure for all of eternity.


	3. Bonds Tighter than a Knot

Waspkit opened her eyes. Light flooded into her freshly opened eyeballs, stinging them. She squeezed them shut and pressed her paws over her face, shielding the sun's merciless rays.

Feeling brave, she gave sight another go, swiveling her head around her. Everything looked blurred, as if fresh morning mist was coating her home. A few blinks solved that problem though. Beside her lay a dark gray tom and to her other side, a white she-kit with faded cream stripes.

"They're open!" Squealed an excited mew from behind her. Waspkit jumped up in fright, stumbling on her unused kit legs. "Careful, you'll scare her!" scolded a cross voice. A golden tom, who was much bigger than her or her siblings pressed his ears to his head and muttered a quick apology before turning back to the she-cat who had scolded him moments before.

After a few calming breaths, Waspkit turned her head around, taking in her new surroundings. She had never imagined the world to be this big! Up until now, the world was a dark sphere made of the shadow cast from her eyelids. Stone walls encased the world, with soft mossy nests on the cool rock floor. A silver tabby she-kit with a white tail tip was relaxing in the shade of one of the walls. There was a bramble wall protecting one side of the nursery. A sharp stabbing pain in her left shoulder alerted her of a golden paw prodding her.

Eyes wide in terror, she squirmed to press her tiny frame closer to the warm fur of her mother. Jaws parted in protest, her siblings awoke and squeaked their frustration. "Goldenkit! Come back here now, these are _very_ delicate kits who don't need you poking your paws where you shouldn't!" Called a very angry calico she-cat who was bigger than the tom, Goldenkit. "Welcome to the nursery little one," meowed a voice that was as soft as honey.

Waspkit turned her head to see the scent she had known since her first breath, that of her mother. Forgetting the larger tom and his mother, she listened closely, taking in every word as if it were the substance for her very life. "I'm Streamtail, and you're in Thunderclan camp, the nursery to be precise. Here are your siblings, Smokekit, and Snowkit," she mewed, gently brushing her soft gray tail over each kit as she spoke their name. "Over there," she mewed pointing to the golden tom, "Is Goldenkit, and his mother, Leafcloud. And that is Graykit," she finished, pointing to the gray she-kit who was lounging around.

Waspkit felt overwhelming love flood through her at the sight of her mother. It was like a river, violently pulling her heart with the current, yet gentle as a dawn breeze all at the same time. She felt as though she could trust this cat with anything, and that this cat would protect Waspkit and her siblings with her life. The rush and exhilaration of it all made Waspkit dizzy.

Her brother, Smokekit met her eyes with his amber ones. They looked like the sun's ray gently hitting the water, creating a warm golden glow at sunset. He was completely calm, relaxed, yet protective. From the moment those fierce amber eyes bore into her soft honey-colored ones, she knew they would be inseparable. The bond they shared went down way deeper that of the flesh, it was created in her mother's womb, formed before she took her first breath.

She could feel eyes warming her pelt with their soft glow, gently grazing her light brown tabby fur. Waspkit turned back to her mother. In the world she knew, no other cat could ever compare to the beauty of the silver tabby she-cat sitting and staring at her. Love blinded her of her mother's faults and defects. To the young kit, every strand of fur on her silver pelt was perfect, and at that angle, not even the most unique, astounding flower could even compare to the gorgeous look in her mother's eyes, for it was one of completely selfless love that could not be broken with the sharpest claws, or the longest fangs. It was a mother's love.


	4. Memories are Mirrors

"C'mon let's go!" chirped a high-pitched voice. Tiny claws prodded Waspkit's side. She moaned and hid her head under her paws. "Get _up!_" squealed Snowkit, "Sleetfang's coming back from hunting. Me and Smokekit are going to ambush him, with or without you!" At the mention of their father, Waspkit jolted upright. "Ambush? Where?" a mock sinister expression crossed her sister's face. "We'll catch him at the bramble tunnel, he'll never expect it!" Streamtail mrrowwed in amusement. "You kit's be careful, your father is a trained Thunderclan warrior." "But he's not today! Today he's a stinky Shadowclan warrior and _we_ are the trained Thunderclan warriors!" piped up Smokekit excitedly.

"I hear the patrol coming!" squealed her sister. Waspkit strained her ears, trying to pick up the traces of the patrol, but she couldn't hear them. Nonetheless, her sister was always right, so she got into position behind a bush. Smokekit was behind the fresh kill pile, and Snowkit was blending in with a few of the warriors who were sharing fresh kill. Rustling in the tunnel mixed with hefty paw steps alerted all three kits that the border patrol had returned. The rhythmic pounding of the cats steps seemed to fill her ears, consuming all of her focus.

Birdstone stepped daintily into the clearing and headed directly for Sandstar's den. Mossheart followed Birdstone into the clearing but turned and headed for the fresh kill pile. Snowkit made an awkward gesture with her tail, alerting the others that the attack was under way. Each kit moved with stealth and ease, closing in on the unsuspecting tom. Suddenly, Smoke gave a screech and the trio lunged forward, clawing at all the dark grey fur within reach.

The shocked tom mrrowed in amusement and easily, but gently flicked his kits off of his smoky fur. "Did we surprise you?" asked Snowkit. "Well-"was all the cat could manage before he was cut off. "Of course we did! With a leader like myself, who wouldn't be surprised at my master battle skills and supreme intellect?" boasted Smokekit. Waspkit flicked him on the ear, "We _all_ surprised him, fluff brain."

"Hey, do you want to pick out a juicy mouse from the fresh kill pile?" Snowkit asked. Both of the kits mewed in unison, "Of course!" Sleetflash gently cuffed Snowkit's ear. "Not yet, my kits. You still have to drink milk from Streamtail until you're 2 moons old." Seeing the kits drooping tails and stooped posture, he added, "But I could show you a battle move or two." At once the kits brightened and begged him to show them the best moves he knew. "Pleeeeease? Just one? Or two? Or ten?" mewed Smokekit. "Haha ok, two."

After what seemed like an eternity of pouncing, stalking, jumping, and clawing, the kits headed back for the nursery wearily. Streamtail welcomed them warmly and fed them milk. "Streamtail, can we explore the forest tomorrow?" mewed Waspkit drowsily. "Not till you're an apprentice, little one," she murmured softly, while licking the soft brown fur on top of Waspkit's head. She felt her eyelids droop and sleep close in on her, snaring her in its trap of darkness. Soft, warm fur pressed in on her, insulating her against the early autumn chills. Her last thought before the dark bubble of sleep entrapped her was that she never wanted to leave this serene paradise.

**A/N: Please review. You have no idea how happy I would be to see one review :) This is my first Fanfic, so I need all the feedback I can get. I have a list of things that I need to cover each chapter, and I am slightly behind. This story is supposed to be 20 chapters, but like I said, I'm slightly behind so it could be around 25. My goal is at least 1 follower, and 1 review. Can y'all make that happen, please?**


	5. The Devil's Snare

Three moons later

"Goldenpaw, your mentor shall be Brownears! Brownears, I trust that you will pass down your knowledge and courage to Goldenpaw." The mentor and apprentice touched noses as the clan erupted in cheers. "Graypaw! Goldenpaw! Graypaw! Goldenpaw!"

Down below clan rock, Leafcloud's eyes were glazed with pride and envy was evident in the expressions of the kits outside the nursery. "I can't wait till we're apprentices," mewed Smokekit, voice dripping with jealousy. "Yeah, we'll be the best apprentices ever," added Waspkit. "Shhhh. An apprenticing ceremony is one of the most important times in a young cat's life. Hush my sunshines," Streamtail mewed.

Once Sandstar leapt down from clan rock, she licked the top of each kit's head and gave them her blessing to go play. The kits then scrambled away and without hesitation, tackled each other in an intense play fight, most likely battling "Shadowclan fox dung".

Waspkit gathered her muscles, stalked forward with silent ease, not making a single sound, then lunged with such power and grace that the greatest warrior would have been jealous. She landed a tail-length left of Snowkit and as she was staggering and stumbling to regain her balance, the white she-kit saw the opportunity and lunged, knocking the air out of the brown she-kit.

Just as Snowkit grasped Waspkit's scruff, she was dragged away by Smokekit. The pair squealed and attacked each other. "Here, let me show you how," murmured the gentle, calming mew of Streamtail. "Bunch your muscles like this and always aim for about two tail lengths ahead, keep your tail from brushing the ground and twitching, it creates noise, and will alert whatever you are trying to pounce on." Waspkit drank in all the advice thirstily.

Under her mother's encouraging gaze, she crouched down and snaked forward, silently pouncing on top of her brawling siblings. Nothing compared to the pleasure she received from overseeing the expressions of shock on their faces. She had done the move near perfectly, catching them by surprise. And the best part, Streamtail had seen it all! She had watched as Waspkit slipped forward, studied her posture, and gazed as she leaped like a true warrior. Waspkit turned her soft brown head to see her mother's blue eyes gleaming with pride and encouragement. "You kits keep playing," she mewed before turning and heading towards the nursery.

Suddenly, the bramble tunnel rustled and out burst the excited apprentices. Goldenpaw went over to boast about it to some of the newer warriors, while Graypaw approached the kits. "The territory was huge!" she commented. "Was there lots of prey?" asked Snowkit. "Did you find any Shadowclan or Windclan?" Inquired Smokekit. "Oh yes, lots of stinky Shadowclan. I sent them running in fear though," She boasted. The kits' eyes widened, "You did?" "Oh yes," she mewed, looking around to make sure that no cat was within earshot, she quietly added, "You can join me tonight if you want."

"Really? Please take us, we're big enough to scare away any Shadowclan dung that cross our borders!" begged Waspkit, amber eyes pleading. "Shhhh! You have to make sure that no one knows about this, you know the rules about kits sneaking out," warned Graypaw. "Promise me you won't tell anyone, no matter what." Each kit nodded their head. "Okay then, meet me tonight," she murmured daringly, "If you're brave enough."

**A/N: Okay, I'll admit, the story has been rather boring so far, but as you can see, things are starting to heat up. I won't post the next chapter till I get 3 reviews from ****different**** people. **


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